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Think Twice (Rosato and Associates #13)
by Lisa ScottolineFrom the blockbuster New York Times bestselling author of Look Again comes a novel that makes you question the nature of evil: is it born in us or is it bred? Bennie Rosato looks exactly like her identical twin, Alice Connolly, but the darkness in Alice's soul makes them two very different women. Or at least that's what Bennie believes, until she finds herself buried alive at the hands of her twin. Meanwhile, Alice takes over Bennie's life, impersonating her at work and even seducing her boyfriend in order to escape the deadly mess she has made of her own life. But Alice underestimates Bennie and the evil she has unleashed in her twin's psyche, as well as Bennie's determination to stay alive long enough to exact revenge. Bennie must face the twisted truth that she is more like her sister Alice than she could have ever imagined, and by the novel's shocking conclusion, Bennie finds herself engaged in a war she cannot win. . . with herself.
Flashpoint (Carlotta Carlyle Mystery #8)
by Linda BarnesWhen six-foot redhead ex-cop and Boston-based private investigator Carlotta Carlyle agrees to help an elderly recluse burglar-proof her apartment, the last thing she expected was that the woman would turn up dead. Now Carlotta must find out why the eccentric yet seemingly harmless Valentine Phipps isolated herself--and needed protection. Who would want to hurt Valentine? What was she hiding behind closed doors? Is there a connection between her murder and an age-old mystery that the city's top brass--and its real-estate moguls--want to keep buried? But the most troubling question of all involves the victim's home health aide, Gwen: Why did she introduce Valentine to Carlotta in the first place? The race to catch one of Boston's most ruthless and ambiguous criminals has just begun...
Night Road
by Kristin HannahJude Farraday is a happily married, stay-at-home mom who puts everyone's needs above her own. Her twins, Mia and Zach, are bright and happy teenagers. When Lexi Baill enters their lives, no one is more supportive than Jude. A former foster child with a dark past, Lexi quickly becomes Mia's best friend. Then Zach falls in love with Lexi and the three become inseparable. But senior year of high school brings unexpected dangers and one night, Jude's worst fears are confirmed: there is an accident. In an instant, her idyllic life is shattered and her close-knit community is torn apart. People and Jude demand justice, and when the finger of blame is pointed, it lands solely on eighteen-year-old Lexi Baill. In a heartbeat, their love for each other will be shattered, the family broken. Lexi gives up everything that matters to her, the boy she loves, her place in the family, the best friend she ever had while Jude loses even more. When Lexi returns, older and wiser, she demands a reckoning. Long buried feelings will rise again, and Jude will finally have to face the woman she has become. She must decide whether to remain broken or try to forgive both Lexi and herself. Night Road is a vivid, emotionally complex novel that raises profound questions about motherhood, loss, identity, and forgiveness. It is an exquisite, heartbreaking novel that speaks to women everywhere about the things that matter most.
Paint the Town Dead (A Judge Jackson Crain Mystery #3)
by Nancy BellFrom the beloved author of the Biggie Weatherford mystery series comes this third thrillin' installment featuring Texas judge Jackson Crain. An old love, a new flame, and the murder of a real estate tycoon thrust County Judge Jackson Crain smack in the middle of the most baffling case he has ever seen. Add a glamorous lady evangelist and a victim's tippling wife, and suspects abound. It is only through delving into the past that Jackson is able to unravel the mystery and see the killer brought to justice. Paint the Town Dead is a sure-to-please cozy that should win Nancy Bell many new fans.
Death Splits a Hair (A Judge Jackson Crain Mystery #2)
by Nancy BellIn the second Judge Jackson Crain Mystery, Joe Junior McBride, beloved barber of Post Oak, Texas, has been murdered. At first glance, the homicide appears to be the work of a prowler, but as the investigation progresses, Joe Junior's second wife, Marlene Ashburn, becomes the prime suspect. A stranger turns up at the funeral, and something about him reminds everyone of Joe Junior. But Joe's brother, Gerald, claims never to have seen him, and mounting evidence points to Marlene as the murderer. Meanwhile, Judge Crain and his adolescent daughter, Patty, try to combine her social activities as a teenager with some careful snooping into the secret lives of their friends and neighbors. And as they come closer to the solution, Jackson and Patty each find a touch of romance
Dancing In the Dark
by Mary Jane ClarkNow that she was deprived of sight, her other senses were intensified. She stood in the darkness, seeing nothing but hearing the persistent roar of the Atlantic Ocean in the distance and the soft flapping of wings right above her. Her nostrils flared at the smell of must and decay. The ground was damp and cold beneath her bare feet, her toes curling in the wet, sandy dirt. She felt something brush against her ankle and prayed it was only a mouse and not a rat. Three days in this dank chamber were enough. If she had to stay any longer, she would surely lose her mind. Still, when they found her, as she fantasized they would, the police would want to know everything. To survive this, she'd have to be able to recount every detail of what had happened. She would tell the police how he'd leave her alone for what seemed like hours at a time. She would tell them how he'd gagged her when he left so nobody would hear her screams and...
The Plot Thickens: 8 Ways to Bring Fiction to Life
by Noah LukemanAs a literary agent, Noah Lukeman hears thousands of book pitches a year. Often the stories sound great in concept, but never live up to their potential on the page. Lukeman shows beginning and advanced writers how to implement the fundamentals of successful plot development, such as character building and heightened suspense and conflict. Writers will find it impossible to walk away from this invaluable guide--a veritable fiction-writing workshop--without boundless new ideas.
Biggie and the Devil Diet (Biggie Weatherford #6)
by Nancy BellAn old friend of J.R.s grandmother Biggie, comes back to Jobs Crossing. Rex Barnwell and his young wife have returned to convert his fathers ranch into a retreat for overweight teenage girls, and Biggie is forced to reveal a secret that she has always kept from J.R. Not long after this startling revelation, Rex is murdered. Knowing full well that he won't be able to keep Biggie away, the Texas Ranger in charge of the case enlists her help.
Shakespeare's Counselor (Lily Bard Mysteries #5)
by Charlaine HarrisLily is adjusting to being married. She has finally decided to join a support group for rape survivors after having injured her husband in her sleep. Unfortunately, the counselor has a history of her own that brings murder to Shakespeare.
Killer Commute (Charlie Greene Mystery #6)
by Marlys MillhiserRECOVERING FROM: The year's Las Vegas trip-from-hell, Long Beach literary agent Charlie Greene is looking forward to spending this year's vacation at home. No manuscript reading, no needy clients, no killer commute for a whole week-just some good, old-fashioned rest and relaxation. But before Charlie's peaceful vacation even starts, her daughter's rambunctious cat, Tuxedo, causes her to stumble across the body of neighbor Jeremy Fielder, murdered in the front seat of his truck. And investigating officers are quick to remind Charlie that this isn't her first dead body. Now their quiet Southern California suburban community is becoming more hectic than rush hour on an L.A. freeway as Charlie and her zany neighbors face off against nosy police officers, insatiable reporters, and a killer determined to drive them away.
With a Vengeance
by Eileen DreyerMaggie O'Brien, a nurse and a medic on a SWAT team, has a thirst for justice, and a chip on her shoulder. She lives in the shadow of her father, a famous (or infamous) cop. Is she more like him than she wants to admit? The question hits home when Maggie feels the desire-as all police, nurses, doctors and medics sometimes do-to dispense her own brand of justice. Soon she finds evidence that someone else may be acting on the same desire. Her search for the truth is a searing tour through the shades of gray between the impulse to heal and the urge to punish. Contains some violence and rude language.
Biggie and the Quincy Ghost (Biggie Weatherford #5)
by Nancy BellBiggie and her gang travel to the town of Quincy and find themselves embroiled in a murder. During their first night, J.R. hears what he thinks is the inn's legendary ghost. The next morning he finds a woman's body in the courtyard. The local sheriff is ill and asks Biggie to help with the detection. And help she does.
Shakespeare's Trollop (Lily Bard Mysteries #4)
by Charlaine HarrisOne of the women for whom Lily cleans house is murdered. Is the murderer one of the men she was sleeping with, or someone else?
Cruising For Murder (Morgan Taylor Mystery #2)
by Susan Sussman Sarajane AvidonWhen the curtains open on Morgan Taylor's second adventure, the Chicago actress is restless with a capital R. For eight months she has been hard at work starring in Rent, and the run has been good, but grueling. Between Morgan's growing boredom and the fact that her year-old relationship with homicide detective John Roblings is going almost too well, she's got an old-fashioned case of cabin fever. Add the harsh snowy weather and it's more than one showgirl can bear. Enter longtime friend Kathy Bloch, who's about to leave port as part of a cruise ship's entertainment cast. When Kathy calls Morgan to see if she'd want to replace a last-minute deserter in the cast, Morgan jumps at the chance to trade the big city for the open seas. Meeting Kathy and the Island Star in Miami, Morgan is greeted by palm trees, sunny skies, and the news that her predecessor, Angela Parker, was murdered aboard the ship. And it appears not everyone is pleased to see Morgan join the cast. Chorus girl and magician's assistant Jackie takes every opportunity to point out that she should be the star. So when another entertainer is found dead, it looks as if Morgan's three weeks of show tunes and suntans are not going to be the vacation that she had hoped.
Place Last Seen
by Charlotte Mcguinn FreemanDURING AN IDYLLIC AUTUMN-DAY hike in the Desolation Wilderness of the Sierra Nevadas, the Baker family is hurled into a nightmare. Playing hide-and-seek with her older brother, Luke, six-year-old Maggie runs away-and she cannot be found. Her father, Richard, and mother, Anne, search desperately before racing down the mountain to call in a Search and Rescue team. The team arrives with experienced trackers, volunteers, dogs, and topographic maps and begins a thorough search from the place where Maggie was last seen. But the search is complicated by an unpredictable factor: willful and energetic, Maggie Baker is also a Down Syndrome child, and there is no telling how she will move as she wanders in the wilderness. Richard, Anne, and Luke can only wait and hope that she will leave a clue, a trail that will lead them to her. With great empathy, Charlotte McGuinn Freeman conveys the gripping reality of the search and how this tests the bonds of a family as it grapples with guilt, doubt, fear, and frantic hope. Powerful, suspenseful, and deeply affecting, Place Last Seen marks the debut of a gifted new voice.
Skin Game
by Caroline Kettlewell"There was a very fine, an elegant pain, hardly a pain at all, like the swift and fleeting burn of a drop of hot candle wax . . . Then the blood welled up and began to distort the pure, stark edges of my delicately wrought wound. "The chaos in my head spun itself into a silk of silence. I had distilled myself to the immediacy of hand, blade, blood, flesh." <P><P> There are an estimated two to three million "cutters" in America, but experts warn that, as with anorexia, this could be just the tip of the iceberg of those affected by this little-known disorder. Cutting has only just begun to enter public consciousness as a dangerous affliction that tends to take hold of adolescent girls and can last, hidden and untreated, well into adulthood. <P><P>Caroline Kettlewell is an intelligent woman with a promising career and a family. She is also a former cutter, and the first person to tell her own story about living with and overcoming the disorder. She grew up on the campus of a boys' boarding school where her father taught. <P><P> As she entered adolescence, the combination of a family where frank discussion was avoided and life in what seemed like a fishbowl, where she and her sister were practically the only girls the students ever saw, became unbearable for Caroline. She discovered that the only way to find relief from overpowering feelings of self-consciousness, discomfort, and alienation was to physically hurt herself. She began cutting her arms and legs in seventh grade, and continued into her twenties. <P><P>Why would a rational person resort to such extreme measures? How did she recognize and overcome her problem? In a memoir startling for its honesty, humor, and poignancy, Caroline Kettlewell offers a clear-eyed account of her own struggle to survive this debilitating affliction.
Biggie and the Fricasseed Fat Man (Biggie Weatherford #3)
by Nancy BellGood news! Biggie is back, bringing with her J.R., her ten-year-old grandson, and the rest of the Weatherford household-- Rosebud, he of the tall tales, and Willie Mae, the best cook in Texas. Anyone who hasn't met Biggie and J.R. has a treat in store; those who have know what fun is ahead in this account of murderous and hilarious doings in Job's Crossing, told in J.R.'s own words. For starters, the Birdsong brothers have built themselves a chicken restaurant. The grand opening has the whole town out ready to sample "broiled chicken, baked chicken, barbecued chicken, chicken and dumplings, sweet-and-sour chicken, chicken croquettes, fried chicken." But what the citizens aren't ready for is finding three-hundred-pound Firman Birdsong under the restaurant's kitchen table, festooned with white-flour gravy and as dead as one of the hapless birds. Although the timid florist Butch Hickly has been replaced as Job's Crossing's one-man police force by Biggie's cousin, Paul and Silas Wooten (yep, that is just one man), Biggie is ready to help. And then crisis strikes the Weatherford household. J.R.'s mother, who had handed him over years before to Biggie to raise, has now authorized his other grandmother to take over the boy's care. This is a real blow. The arrival of the woman and her faux cowboy husband leaves J.R. apprehensive and miserable and Biggie with an even greater problem than the murder to solve. When the first of these delightfully folksy mysteries, Biggie and the Poisoned Politician, was published, it charmed everyone v.ii it. People magazine made it their Pick o the Week. The Weatherfords and the ci at Job's Crossing continue to charm, an this addition to the series is a welcome for us all.
A Cab Called Reliable
by Patti KimWhen Ahn Joo is nine years old, and has lived in America for two years, her mother takes her younger brother, and flees their home and her drunken, violent husband, leaving Ahn Joo alone with him. This book is the story of the next few years of Ahn Joo's life, and how she copes with having been abandoned by her mother.
To The Last Breath
by Carlton StowersTwo-year-old Renee Goode was buried with a ribbon in her hair and surrounded by her beloved stuffed toys. Her death for unexplained medical reasons while spending the night at her father's house had decimated her estranged parents, Michael and Annette Goode, and her doting grandmother, Sharon Couch. Her grief-stricken grandmother, working part-time as a private investigator, refused to accept the medical verdict of death from natural causes. When a police investigator named Sue Dietrich -a mother who had lost her own child to a rare virus-came across the Goode case, she asked to take it on. Enlisting the help of Assistant District Attorney Jeri Yenne, the grandmother and the detective battled the skepticism of Texas law-enforcement officials. Eight months later, Renee's tiny coffin was dug up from its resting place and her body exhumed to reveal the dark secret her grandmother had long suspected: Renee Goode had been murdered in cold blood by her own father.
A Conspiracy Of Strangers
by Lee Martin"You're a cop? But-but-but... you look like somebody's sweet little aunt!" Such comments are nothing new to officer Deb Ralston, heroine of Lee Martin's Too Sane a Murder. In her second difficult case, this five-foot-two mother of three proves once again that looks can be deceiving. Several young women have disappeared from the Fort Worth area, and when Deb finds one of them brutally murdered, she is plunged into an investigation almost against her will. Only one disturbing fact links the missing women-they were all pregnant at the time of their disappearance-and Deb's own history makes a case of this kind particularly unsettling.
The Judgment (A Charley Sloan Novel)
by William J. CoughlinAs winter descends upon Detroit, ace lawyer Charley Sloan is drawn into a case that involves the bizarre murders of small children. Someone is killing them, bathing their bodies and washing their clothes, wrapping them in plastic, and then placing them in the new-fallen snow, laid out like little angels, peacefully asleep. The serial murders seem unsolvable, for the killer is elusive and very clever. Meanwhile, Detroit's powerful police chief, Mark Conroy, asks Charley to defend him against charges that he stole millions from the department's secret cash fund, a fund meant to pay off informants. It's a case that grabs headlines and is fraught with scandal, politics, and graft. Charley has to find the real embezzler before an innocent man is put away and his own career is ruined. Once again, Charley finds himself torn between two big cases that hurtle him into a web of danger and deceit in this novel peopled with a variety of believable, complex characters which offers glimpses into the working and personal lives of lawyers, cops, clergy, public servants and the people, good and bad, they serve.
The Persian Pickle Club
by Sandra DallasIt is the 1930s, and hard times have hit Harveyville, Kansas, where the crops are burning up, and there's not a job to be found. For Queenie Bean, a young farm wife, a highlight of each week is the gathering of the Persian Pickle Club, a group of local ladies dedicated to improving their minds, exchanging gossip, and putting their quilting skills to good use. When a new member of the club stirs up a dark secret, the women must band together to support and protect one another. In her magical, memorable novel, Sandra Dallas explores the ties that unite women through good times and bad.
Done Wrong (Marti MacAlister Mystery #4)
by Eleanor Taylor BlandWhen Chicago narcotics detective, Johnny MacAlister was found shot death in what appeared to be a suicide, his wife, homicide detective Marti MacAlister, left the city with their two children for a better life in Lincoln Prairie, Illinois. Three years later, one of Johnny's old colleagues has died under equally mysterious circumstances, and the man's wife persuades Marti that the official explanation for both men's deaths could be covering up accidents, negligence-- or murder. Marti knows an investigation will take time away from her job and her kids, but until she finds out what really happened to him, neither she nor her family will be able to accept his death. With the help of her partner, Vik, her friends Ben and Ron, and her enduring love for her complicated husband, Marti confronts police bureaucracy and dangers of the Chicago streets uncover the truth. But in the most challenging case of the year, Marti may be risking more than she can afford in order to give her family peace of mind.
Bird In A Cage
by Lee MartinFort Worth policewoman Deb Ralston is celebrating her 25th anniversary in one of the city's new restaurants when a young performer plunges to her death from a golden velvet bird cage. Deb begins to sort through a maze of family secrets and circus traditions to find a murderer before he strikes again.
Inherited Murder
by Lee MartinDetective Deb Ralston has promised her husband, Harry, that she'll happily forget work for three weeks and concentrate on relaxing, sightseeing, picnicking-they'll have a real family vacation (although taking a teenager, his girlfriend, a toddler, and a pit bull by van from Fort Worth, Texas, to Salt Lake City, Utah, can't be all that relaxing). The Ralstons settle into Georgina Grafton's bed-and-breakfast in Salt Lake City. But while sightseeing in Gilgal Sculpture Garden on the trip's second day, they find the body of Georgina's sister, Alexandra, who has been killed by a fist-sized rock aimed at the back of her head. Georgina tells them that Alexandra, a victim of multiple personality disorder, was a handful, but she was certainly not dangerous enough to murder. Or was she? While Deb may be out of her jurisdiction, she's not out of her league: Because their grieving hostess trusts them, she and Harry volunteer to help Salt Lake City Police Detective Charlie Sosa with the case. Promising not to get too involved, because she wouldn't want to put her family in jeopardy and, anyway, she is supposed to be on vacation.